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2016 Update
Tutin is a very real issue for New Zealand’s honey industry. Everyone needs to know about the risks from tutin, their legal obligations and where to find information. This paper is part of an education campaign launched by the Bee Products Standards Council in 2015 to raise awareness of this issue. We encourage you to check the resources available and to pass this information on to anyone who may find it useful.

MPI would like to remind you of the commencement of the listing requirements under the Animal Products Notice: Official Assurances Specifications for Animal Material and Animal Products (the Notice).

From 25 August 2016, RMP operators who process honey for export with an MPI export certificate will only be allowed to source honey from beekeepers who are listed with MPI. Beekeepers who operate their own RMP premises are not required to be listed under this notice.

The Council received the annual financial report which will be formally adopted during the AGM to be held at the next meeting.

The Council heard how the SFF support for the PA project was coming to an end, although further work was still required. This would be reliant on financial support being received from industry members.

Testing from PA’s was still being conducted by AsureQuality, but other laboratories will soon be briefed on the requirements so that they could also offer a testing service.

Tutin is a very real issue for the industry and the reputation of our product as being safe. This is the third in a series of updates that every beekeeper and honey producer needs to be aware of. We encourage you to check the resources available and to pass this information on to anyone who may find it useful.

Your views sought
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) proposes to introduce certain regulatory measures for strengthening the official assurances framework for bee products intended for export to countries for which official assurances are required.

Tutin is a very real issue for the honey industry and the reputation of our product as safe. We are raising awareness of the risks from tutin so that everyone is aware of their legal obligations and where to find information.

New industry structure and future of the BPSC
The Bee Products Standards Council (BPSC) discussed how it will function alongside other bodies within the new industry structure. John Hartnell, Ricki Leahy and Tony Wright are the current BPSC members who have been appointed to the Interim Governance Board.

Tutin
The Council agreed a communications strategy to ensure that all industry members were kept informed about the management of the risk of tutin toxicity.